Door latch



April 29, 1941. D. C, JQHNSON- 2,240,400

DOOR LIATCI'IY Filed sept. 9, 195s- Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFME Doon LATCH Daniel c. Johnson, Chapel Hill, N. o. Application September 9, 1938, Serial No. 229,264

(ci 29e-335) ZvClainis.

My invention relates to vehicle doors and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved door latch.

An object of my invention is to provide a door latch designed to effectively holdthe door in its' closed position in which the latch is so designed as to compensate for wear. The latch embodies angularly related latch parts so designed as to eliminate rattling. I make use of a spring pressed latch b'olt cooperable lon a companion latch abutment or keeper for holding the door in its closed position. The keeper includes an inclined plane for retracting the latch bolt as the door is being closed. After closing the door, the latch bolt cooperates with the keeper for maintaining effective. closing forces on the door, in addition to positively latching the door in itsl closed position. I provide the latch bolt with roller bearing mounts to facilitate shifting thereof. The bolt also includes a roller eiement for engagement with the inclined plane of the keeper.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion ofthe outer face of an automobile door and the associated jamb.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2 of Figure l illustrating the' door in its closed position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the door in a partly closed position.

Figure 4 is a sectional View along the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the latch bolt.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the keeper.

In the embodimentselected to illustrate my invention I make use of an automobile door lil and a door jamb l2. Fragments of the door and jamb are illustrated in Figure 1. The door I6 includes the usual flange I4 arranged in overlapping relation with the jamb- I2 when the door is closed. The door also includes a vertical frame member I6. These parts may be of conventional construction and need not be described in further detail.

The frame member I 6 is recessed at I8 for accommodatingv the latch mechanism 26. The latch mechanism 20 comprises a latch bolt 22 slidable vertically between spaced guide members 24 and 26. positioned between plates 28 and 36, and the parts are connected into a unitary structure by screws 32 and 34. The screws 32 extend through openings in the plate 28 and have threaded relationwith bores 36 in the members 24 and 26,

The members 24 and 26 are while the screws `t4 extend through openings in the' plate 36 and have threaded relation with the bores 36.

The latch bolt 22 is preferably rectangular in cross section and is provided with two rollers 38 arranged in rolling relation with the faces 46 of the members 24 and 26. The members 24 and 26 are provided with rollers 42 which have rolling relation with the faces 44 on the latch bolt 22. Rollers 38 and 42 function to permit easy movement of the latch bolt in addition to guiding the same in a vertical path.

To the face 46 of the jamb I2 I liix-edly secure a keeper 48 through the medium of a screw 50. The screw 56 extends through a slot 52 in the keeper 48, which keeper is recessed `at 54 to accommodate the head 56 of the screw. Thus the head 52 lies within the contour of the keeper, while'Y the keeper may be shifted longitudinally in a horizontal direction for bringing its end 58 into precise relation with the latch bolt 22. The keeper 48 includes a second slot 66 for accommodating a screw 62 `anchored in the same manner as the screw 56. The frame member I6 of the door is recessed at 64 for accommodating the keeper 48, Y

The face 58 of the keeper 43 is arranged at a slight angle to the vertical, while the latch bolt 22 includes an angular face 66 paralleling the end 58. The keeper 43 is recessed at 68 for partly housing a roller 'I6 arranged to have pressure relation with the face 66 of the latch bolt. Figure 2 illustrates the door in a closed position at which time the latch bolt is positioned in the rear of the keeper 4B and in pressure relation with the roller l0.` The recess 64 communicates with a recess 'I2 within which I mount a block 'i4 through the medium of a screw T6, which screw may be of the same type and anchored in the same manner as the screw 50. The block 14 carries .a roller 'I8 arranged to have pressure relation with the face 44 of the latch bolt. The recess 'l2 also accommodates the lower end of the latch bolt 22 with the parts arranged according to Figure 2.

Figure 3 illustrates the normal position of the latch bolt 22 when the door is opened. The latch bolt lis urged downwardly through the medium of a spring 86 bent into the shape of a U, with one leg of the spring bearing against the upper end of the bolt 22 and the opposite leg `made secure to the fram-e member I6 by a screw 82. The bolt 22 may be manually retracted against the tension of the spring Bilby a pull 2 line 84 which may be operably connected with any type of suitable handle (not shown).

In the position of Figure 3, the latch bolt 22 is restrained from relative downward movement by reason of a latch pawl y86. The pawl '86 includes a wedged shaped end 83 arranged to extend into `a slot 90 in the latch bolt. The pawl tis pivotally mounted on va pin 92 anchored to the plates 23 and 3B. I slot one end of the pawl 86 at 913 for accommodating one end of a shaft Siti having that end pivotally connected at 98 with the pawl. The pivotal connection 9S The shaft 94 is slidably guided inside an opening in the member 26. The opening lo@ terminates in a larger diameter bore- H32 within which I mount a compression .spring imi. One end of the spring bears againstth'e'bottom 196 of the bore while the opposite end of the spring vbears against a flange it@ formed on the shaft `to Figure 3, the door IB is closed by movement in the direction of the arrow iii) relative to the keeper 48. The lower end of thelatch bolt 22 is provided with a roller H2 arranged to engage the inclined face l I4 of the keeper. As the door is being pushed home the inclined face Elli will raise the latch bolt 22 as the roller H2 is advanced along thefaceg With the door substantially closed, the roller H2 passes over the high point IIB of the keeper to permit the latch bolt to fall downwardly in the rear of the keeper. The spring 80 imparts a rapid movement to the latch bolt so as to insure an immediate and positive latching relation between the parts. The inclined face E6 on the latch bolt 22 passes downwardly on the roller 63. Y The angular face @t urges the door l0 to its closed position. The roller 18 bears against the opposite .face of the latch bolt 22 so as to provide an elfective backing therefor. It will thus be seen that the tapered end of the latch bolt will be wedged between the rollers 19 and 13. The angular face 66 compensates for wear between the parts so as to provide a latch which eliminates rattling of the door.l l

As the door is advanced to a closed position, angular face H4 has cammng relation with` the curved end i i8 of the shaft lit to move the shaft l upwardly. Such upward movement of the shaft pivots the latch pawl 86 to the position of Figure 2 and in the clear of the latch bolt 22.

In opening the door, the latch bolt 22 is lifted upwardly sufiiciently far to bring the roller HZ in the clear of the end 58, thus permitting the door to be swung outwardly. With thelatch bolt 22 lifted suiciently far to clear the keeper t8, the slot 90 is positioned somewhatabove the wedged end of the latch pawl 36. As soon as the end H8 is moved out of camming relation with the face H4, the spring lil!! moves the shaft 8S downwardly for pivoting the pawl @6 in the direction of the latch member 22. The end of the latch pawl is maintained in pressure relation with the adjacent face dll of the latch bolt so as Y to insure entrance of the pawl into the slot Sii.

The movably related parts operate without frictional relation. The spring 8d effectively holds the latch bolt in the position of Figure 2.

is offset laterally of the pivotal connection 52. Y

The angularity of the face 66 is slight so as to prevent the latch bolt from being cammed upwardly through an outward pull on the door. However, the angularity is suicient to compensate for wear. The roller 'fil exerts pressure in one direction while the roller 1S and'some of the rollers 38 and i2 exert pressure in the opposite direction. Thus the latch bolt 22, in the position of Figure 2, is characterized by a three-point contact which supports the bolt in a sturdy manner. The latch bolt lifts easily up the inclined face I l, thus permitting closing of the door with the application of relatively small forces. The door need not be slammed heavily to consummate latching thereof. A gentle push will bring the door to a completely closed position. At the same time, the latch bolt is characterized by a quick action which insures positive latching. A considerable reach of the latch bolt 22 extends across and below the end 58 of the keeper. This relation prevents accidental unlatching in the parts.

The latch bolt is completely housed inside the contour of the door proper. The mechanism is easily installed in the recess i3, while the latch mechanism is easily disassembled because of the detachable connection between the plates 28 and 3d with respect to the members 2d and What I claim is:

l. in a door latch, a relatively fixed keeper having a roller element, a guide, a latch bolt slidable in said guide and spring pressed to be projected behind the keeper in engagement with said roller element, a second roller element mounted on a ixed support for engagement with the bolt on the side opposite said iirst-nentioned roller element but spaced from the latter longitudinally of the bolt, roller means interposed between said bolt and said guide for guiding the bolt, some of said roller means being located on the same 'side of the bolt as said second roller element but spaced from said first-mentioned roller element longitudinally of the bolt in a direction opposite the spacing of said second roller element, and

said bolt having a cam face engageable with said inst-mentioned roller element Vfor' pressing the bolt against said second roller element and said some of said roller means.

2. In a door latch, a relatively fixed keeper having a cam face, a spring projected and inanually retractable bolt slidably mounted in the latch and arranged to engage said cam face and ride thereon to a retracted position andthen project behind the keeper as the door is moved to a closed position, said latch bolt being provided with a notch extending inwardly and axially of the bolt, a pawl pivoted to said latch arranged to enter said notch when said bolt is moved to -a partially projected position, a shaft slidable in said latch and having one end pivotally connected with said pawl, resilient vmeans acting on said shaft for urging the other end of the shaft into the path of said cam face, said bolt, in said partially projected position, engaging sait cam face in advance of said shaft to be moved to a partially retracted position and position said notch clear of said pawl, said other end of said shaft resting on said cam face in the closed position of the door to hold the pawl away from the bolt, said notch being so located as to receive the pawl in the open position of the door to support the bolt in said partly projected position in the path of said cam face.

DANIEL C. JOHNSO. 

